Protecting your business from the unexpected

Imagine waking up to find your website has disappeared. Poof. Gone. Whether it’s down to data loss, a cyberattack, or a server crash, this happens more often than you’d think. And if your website is the main touchpoint for your business, losing it – even temporarily – can have disastrous consequences.

As always, in these scenarios, prevention is the best cure. In other words, a solid backup strategy keeps your business safe from digital downfall (cue: dramatic music). Stick with us as we break down why backups matter, the best backup practices for businesses, and how to avoid a tech-induced meltdown.

Why websites go down

There are many reasons why your website might suddenly go dark, and not all of them are within your control. Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for vulnerabilities, and if your site isn’t properly secured, you could be an easy target.

Human error is another common culprit. We’ve all pressed the wrong button at least once – accidentally deleting important files, giving the go-ahead to an update at the wrong time, or putting off a domain renewal. A simple mistake could wipe out your site’s content (we know – what a drama queen).

Even something as seemingly harmless as a routine update can cause problems. That shiny new plugin or theme update? If it’s in conflict with existing software, it might just crash your entire site. Without a backup, you could find yourself scrambling to undo the damage.

The financial cost of not having a backup

If your website is the primary platform for selling your products or services, any downtime translates to lost revenue. Every second your site is down could mean lost sales, frustrated customers, and a direct hit to your bottom line.

Beyond immediate financial losses, a lack of backups can damage your reputation. Customers expect reliability – if they visit your site and find it’s frequently slow or inaccessible, they may start questioning the trustworthiness of your brand.

Then there’s the SEO nightmare. Google doesn’t like broken websites. If your site goes down for an extended period, search engines may lower your rankings – making it harder for customers to find you in the future. Recovering lost rankings can take time, effort, and money – something easily avoided with a proper website backup strategy.

Website backup best practices for your business

Now that we’ve established that website backups are essential, just how often should you be doing them, and what other protections can you put in place to safeguard your site? Remember these cardinal rules…

At a minimum, aim for weekly backups – but if you run an online shop or regularly update your website content, daily backups are a smarter choice.
Automated backups are your best friend. While manual backups are an option, they’re easy to forget – or even put off. An automated solution makes sure your website is backed up regularly without requiring any extra effort from you.
It’s also important to store your backups offsite. Keeping backups in the same location as your primary site defeats the purpose. If disaster strikes on your main server, your backup could be compromised too. Cloud storage solutions provide a secure, offsite location for your backups.
Testing backups is also key. A corrupted or incomplete backup is about as useful as not having one at all. Regularly test your backups to make sure they’re functional and can be restored quickly if needed.
A good web hosting provider, like Fasthosts, can take care of all these elements for you, offering automated, secure, and regularly tested backups.

Choosing the right backup solution

There are different ways to back up your website, and the best option depends on your technical expertise and business needs. Some businesses opt for DIY backups, manually exporting their databases and files. Though this approach can do the trick, it’s time-consuming, and leaves room for human error.A more reliable solution is choosing a hosting provider that offers built-in backup services. When evaluating providers, look for features like automatic scheduling, offsite storage, and easy restoration processes. Having a professionally-managed backup solution guarantees protection for your website without requiring constant attention from you.

How to restore a website with a backup

Now, let’s talk about how your website backups come into play. If your website is hit by a technical failure, restoring it from a backup should be a fairly straightforward process:

Access your backup files: You’ll find these in your hosting control panel, or a cloud storage solution.
Re-upload your files: Use a File Transfer Protocol to upload your backed-up website files to your web server, making sure to place them in the correct locations.
Restore your database: If your website uses a database, access your hosting panel or database management tool to import the backup file.
Check and test everything: Once restored, test your website. Check for missing pages, broken links, and functionality issues. You may need to update your configuration files to match your database settings.

If all else fails, call in a professional – like Fasthosts – to save yourself a major headache.

Don’t wait for disaster to strike

Regular website backups are a little like an umbrella. You don’t think about them until it’s pouring. But if your site takes a hit, you’ll be grateful you took the time to prepare – because the cost of not having a backup far outweighs the effort of setting one up.

If you want peace of mind, chat to Fasthosts about your backup options today. Protect your website, safeguard your business, and wave goodbye to the stress of an unexpected meltdown.